ST. TAMMANY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD 2010 CENSUS/2014 ELECTION REDISTRICTING DECEMBER 1, 2011 Presentation by REDISTRICTING L.L.C.
2010/2014 School Board Redistricting Timeline August 15, 2014: August 20-22, 2014: November 4, 2014: December 6, 2014: Deadline for SOS to receive notice of preclearance of plans (R.S. 18:1942) Qualifying dates for School Board elections Primary Election General Election
Terminology Reapportionment The process of allocating seats in a legislative body Redistricting The process of redrawing the lines of each district
District Creation Criteria Legal Requirements Population Equality Voting Rights Act of 1965 Louisiana State Law Traditional Redistricting Principles Contiguity Compactness Communities of Interest Core Districts
Legal Requirements: Population Equality One Person, One Vote Population Equality Ideal Population Parish population divided by the number of districts Deviation Difference between a district s population and the ideal population
Legal Requirements: Population Equality Substantial equality of population among the various districts" Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 579 (1964) Based on the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment 10-Percent Standard: Generally, a legislative plan with an overall range of less than 10% is not enough to make a prima facie case of invidious discrimination under the 14th Amendment (Brown v. Thompson, 462 U.S. 835 (1983)) Not a safe-harbor (Larios v. Cox, 300 F.Supp.2d 1320 (N.D. Ga.), aff d 542 U.S. 947 (2004))
Legal Requirements: The Voting Rights Act The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Section 5 Prohibits the enforcement in a covered jurisdiction of any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with respect to voting different from that in force or effect on the date used to determine coverage, until either: A declaratory judgment is obtained from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that such qualification, prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure does not have the purpose and will not have the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race, color, or membership in a language minority group, or It has been submitted to the Attorney General and the Attorney General has interposed no objection within a 60-day period following submission
Legal Requirements: The Voting Rights Act The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Section 5 Louisiana is a covered jurisdiction, as are all of its political subdivisions including School Boards No discriminatory effect (Retrogression) Any discriminatory purpose
Legal Requirements: The Voting Rights Act The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Section 2 All Jurisdictions within the United States Prohibits any state or political subdivision from imposing a voting qualification, standard, practice, or procedure that results in the denial or abridgment of any U.S. citizen s right to vote on account of race, color, or status as a member of a language minority group
The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Section 2 National standard Legal Requirements: The Voting Rights Act No discriminatory effect Gingles preconditions Thornburg v. Gingles, 478 U.S. 30 (1986) Size and geographical compactness Political cohesion Majority votes as a bloc to defeat minority s preferred candidate Totality of the circumstances
Legal Requirements: Louisiana State Law Change in Size of Membership: RS 17:71.2 (A) In accomplishing the reapportionment authorized by this Subpart, each of said school boards may, by majority vote of said board as presently constituted, reestablish itself With not less than five nor more than fifteen members or the number presently authorized for that school board, whichever is the greater. Whenever the size of a school board is to be changed by reapportionment, the school board may submit the proposition of size to the people.
Legal Requirements: Louisiana State Law Population Numbers to be Used: RS 17:71.3 (A) Each of the parish and city school boards shall use the latest federal decennial census as the basis upon which to accomplish reapportionment Each of said school boards may authorize the taking of a special census to use as a basis for reapportionment To this end, each of said school boards may employ qualified firms to take such special census, and may employ such other consultants, attorneys, etc. as it deems desirable in order to assist such board in such reapportionment.
Legal Requirements: Louisiana State Law Redistricting Criteria: RS 17:71.3 (B) Districts need not be coterminous with other districts that may be created by any governing authority, but any such school board election districts created as a result of this Subpart shall be compact and contiguous. The boundaries of such election districts shall contain whole election precincts established by the parish governing authority under R.S. 18:532 or 532.1. The board may provide that all or part of its members shall be elected from such districts and may provide that one or more of its members may be elected at large.
Legal Requirements: Louisiana State Law Redistricting Criteria: RS 17:71.3 (E)(2)(a) If a school board is unable to comply with applicable law regarding redistricting and reapportionment, including adherence to traditional redistricting principles, in the creation of its redistricting or reapportionment plan through the use of whole precincts, the school board may, in the creation of its redistricting or reapportionment plan, divide a precinct into portions which are bounded by visible features which are census tabulation boundaries No such precinct shall be divided into more than two school board districts. No school board district shall contain more than three divided precincts.
Redistricting Principles Traditional Redistricting Principles Contiguity Compactness Communities of Interest Core Districts
Redistricting Methodology: Goals Comply with the U.S. Constitutional requirements of population equality ( One Person, One Vote ) Meet the requirements of Section 2 and Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Comply with all applicable State Laws Incorporate specific requests of jurisdictional members where possible
Redistricting Methodology: General Overview Malapportionment Analysis Public Meetings & Participation Plan Creation and Adoption U.S. Department of Justice Submission
Redistricting Methodology: Process Data and Document Collection and Verification Obtain and verify the census geography and PL 94-171 population data Obtain and incorporate a copy of the registered voter data by precinct Collect and input the incumbents precincts of residence Obtain and review all legal documents and legal requirements necessary for the redistricting process, including past history, pre-clearance history, previous adopted plans, and state and federal requirements
Redistricting Methodology: Process Plan Construction and Selection Create the jurisdiction s Benchmark Plan The present districts with new population results Interview each of the incumbent members of the jurisdiction to obtain their input Create unique plans and required modifications to those plans Produce maps and reports, including statistical analysis, of each plan
Redistricting Methodology: Process Public Hearings Participate in all public hearings Make general redistricting presentation to the jurisdiction Provide press releases if requested
Redistricting Methodology: Process Plan Evaluation and Selection Evaluate plans and make reports to the jurisdiction as directed Legal review and legal briefing of plans in progress Final plan selection by the jurisdiction at a public meeting Drafting of legal documentation of final plan for adoption by the jurisdiction
Redistricting Methodology: Process Preclearance Submission Prepare or assist in preparing the submission required under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Prepare and submit final plan documentation and preclearance notice to the Louisiana Secretary of State
Redistricting, LLC: Redistricting Expertise 1. Technical Expertise Database Development and GIS Expertise Plan Building DOJ Submissions 2. Political Expertise Public Hearings and Jurisdictional presentations Plan Building/Redistricting Criteria Redistricting Plan Consensus Building 3. Legal Expertise Voting Rights Act of 1965 Department of Justice Requirements Expert Witness Qualifications Louisiana Law
Redistricting, LLC: Staff GLENN A. KOEPP, J.D. Juris Doctor, L.S.U., 1974 Secretary of the Louisiana Senate Practicing Attorney Redistricting Consultant since 1981 Outstanding record of redistricting results for local jurisdictions In charge of all Senate Redistricting Activities since 1981 Nationally recognized expert in redistricting Appointed Special Master by Federal Court Active member of the National Task Force on Redistricting since 1981
Redistricting, LLC: Staff William M. Blair Ph.D, L.S.U., 2003 Director of Demographic Services for the Louisiana Legislature Legislative Liason to the Census Bureau Redistricting Consultant since 2001 Extensive work with Parish Governing Authorities in state/parish precinct program Expertise in application of Geographic Information System technologies Active member of the National Task Force on Redistricting since 1997 Presenter on Redistricting issues at local and statewide conferences
Redistricting, LLC: Staff Dannie P. Garrett, III Juris Doctor, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, L.S.U., 1994 Primarily focused on governmental law. Represented the interests of municipal and parochial governments for 15 years Currently the General Counsel for the Police Jury Association of Louisiana Served as the Staff Attorney for the Louisiana House of Representatives Committee on House and Governmental Affairs during the 2000 legislative redistricting cycle Served as the Staff Attorney and Defense Counsel for the Louisiana Municipal Association Attended NCSL redistricting conferences and training Coordinated Continuing Legal Education on local government redistricting
ST. TAMMANY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD 2010 CENSUS/2014 ELECTION REDISTRICTING DECEMBER 1, 2011 Presentation by REDISTRICTING L.L.C.